Third-rail-bracket-clamp cap



H. RICE.

THIRD RAIL BRACKET CLAMP CAP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- I0. I920.

1,383,236. 'PatentedJune28,l9 2l.

INVENTOR WITH-E85 'rnmn-RAmBnAcxnr-cLaMr,

T all whom it 'may concern Be it known that I, HUGH Rica, a, citizen ofwthe United States, and .a resident of *Yonkers,-in the county of Westchester and -Stateof New York, have invented certain .new and useful. Improvements in Third- Rail-Bracket-Clamp Gaps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to third rail equipment for electricrailways, and has particular-reference to the bracket structures for supporting and insulating the third rail 1 from the other parts of the mechanism.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a cover. forthe third rail bracket clamp, of such "a nature as to protect the third rail from corrosion at the joints or adjacent to the orcelain clamping blocks located between the main bracket and in the third rail.

Another object of the invention is to so hang or support the third rail as to afford ample looseness to enable it to slip as may be necessary dueto climatic conditions such as expansion and contraction, and thereby preventing any danger of buckling.

A further object of the invention is to reduce the danger and disadvantage of short described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, andin which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tie and bracket, and indicating in section the third rail at the clamp.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view similar to'Fig. 1 and indicating in dotted lines the relation .we e mi rant- Patented June'28, 1921. Applicationfll ed November 10,1929. ser al Jim-423,157.

Fig. 3 isiavertical longitudinal section:

on the line 3-3-of Fig. 2.

' Fig. A is a-p'lan view. t

Fig. 15' is a detail perspective view "of .thefcap.

drawings I'show at 100m of the brackets for supportingthe thirdrail 11 above the ends of the ties 12. As heretofore prac tised the upper portion of the raillll is embraced at any desired pointalong its length by -meansof two companion clamp blocks 13 of any suitable insulating mate- 'r1al,i}such" as porcelain. These blocks are grooved transversely across the top as shown at 14 to accommodate a T-headed'bolt 15 connected to the upper portion of the bracket. The head of the bolt has hooked engagement at 15' with the block 13' remote from the bracket, and by means of the bolt when its nut 16 is tightened the clamping blocks and third rail are held in place.

against the top of the bracket, leaving the bottom of the rail 11 properly exposedto the shoe carried by-the car.

ported on the brackets there is provided a cover or sheathing therefor as indicated at 17 of any suitable insulating material which I is intendedto protect the rail from damage due to any source. It is necessary, however, to observe a sh ht clearance as at 18 between theends o the sheathing and the ends of the blocks 13. Under ordinary conditions, therefore, rain or the like gathers in the joint atthis point and constitutes the source of rapid corrosion anddeterioration of the rail. This corrosion is directly responsible not only for the deterioration of the rail, but also the short circuiting of After the third rail is suspended or supthe current, and consequent loss of power and efliciency through the supports.

To overcome the foregoing defect in the rail support is one of the primary objects of my invention, and to this end I provide a cap 20 made of any suitable strong, tough, durable material and preferably of a plastic nature, such as celluloid, fiber, or hard rubber. This cap 20 is cast, molded, or otherwise shaped to conformto the to of the porcelain parts of the clamp, an in 60 Referring now morespecifically to the and two collar portions 23 .fitting snugly,

against the ends of the blocks 13 and ex tending lengthwise over a sufiicientportion.

of the sheathing to exclude rain or the like from the joints 18.

It will be noted that the cap 20 is applicable directly to the'clamps as :above described and that the clamp bolt 15 is applicable in the same manneras heretofore, lying in the channel 22 of the cap and there by rendering it impossible for the capto become displaced. l urthei'more, much of the direct contact between the'clamping bolt 15 and the other parts of the clamp is relieved by the cap as a cushion. Again, all likelihood of a spark or gapoccurring along the joint between the two blocks 13 and from the bolt to the rail, is eliminated by the cap spanning the entire-clamp as shown.

Iclaim: 1.- Thecombination with a bracket, a third rail spaced from the bracket, a clamp of insulation embracing the rail, and compression means acting upon the clamp to hold it and the rail to the bracket, of a cap of insulating material extending across the top of the clamp, substantially as set forth.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the cap embraces the ends as well as the top of the clamp.

3. .The combination with a third rail and supporting means therefor comprising a two-part clamp to embrace the rail and a bolt spanning the top of the clamp, of a cap of insulating material covering the top of the clamp and lying between said bolt and the clamp, whereby the cap is held in place by the. bolt; 4;. The herein described clamp cap comprisinga single continuous piece of insulatin'g material comprising two top hood portionsand a channel portion connecting them.

5. A clamp capas set forth in claim 4 including also collar portions to embrace the 'ends of the clamp as well as the top thereof.

6. A clamp cap as set forth in claim 4 including, in addition to the hood and channel portions, collar portions designed to embrace the ends of the clamp and extend longitudinally therefrom to exclude rain or the like, substantially as set forth.

9 HUGH RICE. 

